Modeling & Systems Architect, Missile Defense

YOUR MISSION

The Modeling & Systems Engineering Architect is responsible for establishing and owning the end-to-end digital twin architecture for the Missile Defense system. This includes defining the technical strategy, model hierarchy, fidelity progression, interfaces, and governance necessary to ensure that digital twins serve as authoritative representations of system performance throughout the program lifecycle. 

In this role, the Architect leads the development, integration, and maturation of vehicle-level and subsystem-level models across all Missile Defense elements, including the Host Vehicle, Propulsion Units, and Kill Vehicles. Subsystem performance models—encompassing propulsion, guidance, navigation and control (GNC), seekers, and other critical disciplines—are coherently integrated and rolled up into system-level digital twins capable of evaluating end-to-end mission performance and design trades. 

The Architect establishes and executes a regular digital twin release cadence, enabling continuous tracking of system performance maturity. These releases are used to assess requirement compliance, identify performance shortfalls, quantify technical risk, and inform engineering and program decisions. The role ensures that modeling assumptions, limitations, and uncertainties are well understood and that results are credible and decision-relevant. 

A core responsibility of this position is the integration of digital twin models into the program’s Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) environment. The Architect ensures consistency and traceability between analytical models, system architecture, requirements, and verification artifacts, and supports the delivery of MBSE products required to meet contractual obligations. 

Operating within a matrixed functional engineering organization, the Architect serves as the technical authority for modeling and simulation across disciplines. This includes defining modeling standards and best practices, coordinating efforts across subsystem teams, and ensuring alignment between modeling activities and overall system architecture. The Architect works closely with systems engineering, software, test, and program leadership to ensure digital twins are effectively leveraged across design, analysis, and risk reduction efforts. 

QUALIFICATIONS 

Required Qualifications 

• Demonstrated ownership of modeling and digital twin architectures for complex, multi-element systems, such as: Multi-stage launch vehicles, Space vehicles with multiple deployable or interceptor elements,  Complex aircraft or integrated weapon systems.  Single spacecraft experience alone is not sufficient. 

• Prior responsibility for defining modeling strategy, not just executing individual analyses. 

• Digital twins used for program decisions and contractual delivery often require credibility frameworks. 

• Experience establishing model VV&A plans 

• Familiarity with model credibility assessment for decision support 

• Traceability between requirements, assumptions, and model outputs 

• Experience with uncertainty propagation, Monte Carlo methods, and sensitivity analysis 

• Ability to quantify confidence bounds on performance predictions 

• Experience integrating analytical models with SIL/HIL environments 

• Familiarity with real-time or near-real-time modeling constraints 

• Understanding of latency, communications, and data fusion impacts on performance 

Technical Skills 

• Mission-level or engagement-level modeling tools such as AFSIM and/or STK 

• Strong proficiency in Python and MATLAB 

• Experience developing or integrating high-performance models in C++ 

• Hands-on experience with FEA and multi-physics modeling tools (e.g., structures, thermal, propulsion, coupled effects) 

• Experience defining model governance frameworks  DevOps practices for model configuration control, versioning, and reproducibility (e.g., MLflow or similar frameworks) 

• Experience modeling sensor-to-shooter, command & control, or fire control architectures 

Desired Qualifications 

• Systems thinker with the ability to balance model fidelity, schedule, and decision relevance 

• Comfortable operating as a technical authority across organizational boundaries 

• Able to translate analytical results into clear insights for engineering and program leadership 

• Experience in defense or national security programs preferred 

COMPENSATION  

• Base Salary: Denver - $180,000 - $245,000, Long Beach - $190,000 - $260,000

• Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave 

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education and experience. 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Work Location—Successful candidates will be located near Denver or Colorado Springs. While we observe a hybrid work environment, some work must be done on site.
• Work environment—the work environment; temperature, noise level, inside or outside, or other factors that will affect the person's working conditions while performing the job.
• Physical demands—the physical demands of the job, including bending, sitting, lifting and driving.

This position will be open until it is successfully filled. To submit your application, please follow the directions below. #LI-Hybrid